Sport: NZ-Fijian bodybuilder prepares to face world's best

Transcript

The New Zealand-Fijian bodybuilder Myra Rogers will be among illustrious company this weekend at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

Rogers won the 2013 Professional Figure title at the New Zealand nationals and on Saturday will go up against some of the best figure athletes from around the globe, at the annual event started by former Mr Universe Arnold Schwarzenegger.

She told Vinnie Wylie the journey all started less than two years ago when a major injury forced her to give up playing netball.

MYRA ROGERS: I walked into a supplement shop and the guy that was there, who is now my coach, said you need to do a competition. I was like, "no no no, I'm not into that". He was like, "yes, you need to do a competition", so I went along and I had a look at one and I was hooked straight away and I was like yes I can do this.

VINNIE WYLIE: And how much of your life does this now consume? How much training do you have to put in to get to where you want to be and where do you want to be? What are the goals now that you're in the sport and won a few titles and no doubt there's something else you've got your eye on?

MR: I do about two to three hours of training a day, just depending on where I am at in the season. My main focus at the moment is the Arnold Classic Ohio, which only 15 females from around the world get invited to so it's pretty much the top 15 in the world and then from there I will be going to the Melbourne Arnold Classic and competing there and hopefully from there I really want to qualify [and] my big goal is to get to the Olympia. That would be like over the moon - it's pretty much the Olympics for bodybuilding - so if I can do that then I definitely have reached by goal.

VW: I understand you have a bit of Fijian heritage and there was a point Fiji were hoping to get you on board for a competition at some stage?

MR: I'm proud Fijian. My mum is also Fijian and growing up we used to go back there every single year. My dad passed away when I was a kid and so all I pretty much grew up around was my Fijian family so I'm really proud to be Fijian, a lot of culture there. Fiji did email me
once to do the South Pacific champs for them. Unfortunately I had already turned professional by then and it was impossible for me to do the South Pacific Champs, which is an amateur event. I would have loved to represent them because growing up as a kid watching rugby [and] netball I've always cheered for Fiji and always been proud to be Fijian.

VW: So the people you're going to come up against in Ohio: is this pretty much the cream of the crop worldwide?

MR: Definitely. It's pretty much the top five of Olympia will be at that competition so it's all the girls I look up to, follow on Instagram and social media and stuff. I'm pretty much going to be going up against these girls and I never thought that this day would actually come where I'd be standing on the same stage as these girls that I admire and inspire me so much. It's a little bit freaky although I am trying not to think about it too much and just trying to think about it as another competition. I just want to stick to my game-plan.

VW: Do you get to meet the man himself while you're over there?

MR: Arnold? Yes, I do. When we go to registration and stuff he will be the one that is giving out our numbers and our little packs and stuff so I will get to shake his hand, which I'm really excited about [after] growing up and watching lots of his movies and stuff. It's going to be huge so I'm real excited.